Pacer Checkup

I have a question about the pacer checkup (interogation). Can an checkup (interogation) be read incorrectly? I had a checkup in late June. I have a dual lead Metronic pacemaker for 3rd degree heart block and have had it for 6-1/2 years now. I have always pacer around 30% pacer / 70% natural in the upper chamber and 70% pacer / 30% natural in the lower chamber. During my last checkup my lower chamber reading changed to pacing in the 90% range. During this interogation the technican did not put the clamps on my wrists as was always done before. I go back to the doctor on Wednesday for a followup visit and plan to talk to her about the change in the reading. Has anyone had an experience where an interogation has been read incorrectly?

Thanks for any comments - Tom

2 Comments

Pacemaker Checkups

by J.B. - 2009-08-15 08:08:34

Tom,

It is my understanding that the compute does the "reading" of what a pacemaker is doling or has done since the last checkup. This data is displayed on the monitor for the tech to see and if that tech is sharp enough minor changes can be made in the pacemaker settings. A printout is then made of the data for the doctor to review later or for the file.

If you were told you were pacing 70% of the time that is what the computer determined was going on and not the tech. All the tech really has to do is get the patient hooked up correctly to get the data. That is why you can find 21 year old nurses aids doing pacemaker checkups in some doctor's offices.

If you have doubts about any information you get during a checkup you definitely need to talk to the doctor. As for the percentage your PM is helping, that can change from time to time, or least mine does. As for the missing wrist straps, EKG type electrodes (4 of them) are used on me during my office checkups and I use two of these for phone checkups. I have the wrist straps for phone checkups but I was told those would not be used because they were not sensitive enough.

I think you are about like me and my checkups, I always seem to come away with more questions than answers. After 10 years I have stopped what I call microanalysis of the checkup data so long as I feel OK. I figure my PM either works or it doesn't work, in which case I'll know pretty quick. Anyway there are helluva lot more people out there doing pacemaker checkups than there are people that understand the things and the answers we get are dependant on their knowledge of a pacemaker and how it works.

Good luck,

J. B.

reading

by Tracey_E - 2009-08-16 07:08:47

It's quite possible for someone new to read it incorrectly, but the percentage pacing is hard to miss. Using the wrist thing is irrelevant also, if they are getting the reading that's all that counts.

Numbers can fluctuate, that's normal. It's possible they changed a setting last time so the number is different this time, or sometimes our needs just change for no known reason. Ask the doctor, but I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. The important thing is how you feel, that the pm is there when you need it. Like JB, I've been paced so long that I don't really pay attention. As long as I feel good I'm not gonna worry about it!

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